I haven't been up there since last weekend, but been following the reports. I am pretty sure the ice is still 8"+. There is a pressure crack not far from shore that opened up. The last I read there were still places to cross it safely. The hut operators also put a makeshift bridge over it at the end of Gilford Road.
I don't know about a taxi service, but there are three hut operators operating out from Gilford and they may offer a fee for service to take you out. It's not that far of a walk though. People have been catching fish from 12 to 30 FOW.
I don't buy minnows, but I am pretty sure one of the hut operators sells minnows at the end of Gilford Road. It's a small yellow hut just on the shore.
You can park on the side of the road - Shore Acres Drive (the road that you take down to the lake from highway 400) [south side], Nelly Road [west side] and Gilford Road [south side]. There is some room on Woodfield Road [east side] as well (although, I haven't looked this year, it has been fine in the past).
DO NOT PARK too close to the intersections. Last I checked there were no parking signs to indicate where. Also, do not park in front of peoples mail boxes.
I made a crude map for you:
In that map, the green are areas you can park in, red you cannot. Someone also made a small parking lot off of Nelly Road (green box). No idea what that's about or if you can park there, but people have been parking in it. You can access the ice from either Gilford Road or Shore Acres Drive (green arrows). The yellow box is where the minnows are sold (as far as I know anyway).
You can check for recent reports here:
http://www.lakesimcoemessageboard.com/http://cbfb.proboards.com/index.cgiGood luck!
